Container valve means



O. L. ASHTON CONTAINER VALVE MEANS Filed April 18, 1950 Dec. 14,1954.

} III.

IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,696,934 CONTAINER VALVE MEANS Oscar L. Ashton,Harvey, Ill.

Application April 18, 1950, Serial No. 156,587

12 Claims. (Cl. 222394) This invention relates to a novel valve meansand more particularly to a valve means for use with pressurizedcontainers or dispensers.

In recent years extensive use has been made of pressurized containersand dispensers for a wide variety of fluid materials such asinsecticides, fungicides, mothproofing compounds, disinfectants,deodorants, paints, lacquers, coating compositions, cosmetics, foodproducts, and the like. Such containers are usually in the form of metalcans and are ordinarily provided with manually operable valve means fordispensing the contents of the can under pressure and in the form of acontrolled spray. The fluid material to be dispensed is contained in thecan in admixture with a pressure medium or propellant which ispreferably a gas condensible at comparatively low pressures. Uponrelease of the contents of the can .through the valve means, volatilization of the,pressure medium produces atomization of the fluidmaterial'and causes discharge of the same as a fine spray.

Inasmuch as containers and dispensers of the foregoing type are intendedprimarily for household purposes and the like and are ordinarilydiscarded after use, it will be apparent that it is very important toprovide an effective easily manipulated valve means whichat the sametime is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, the broad object of my invention is to provide a novelvalve means for controlling the discharge of fluids under pressure.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a novel valve means for acontainer of the class described which is simple in -construction andinexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel valve means for acontainer of the class describedwhich is characterized by positiveaction and which when manually actuated to open position automaticallyreturns to tight closed position immediately upon release thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel valve meansfor a container of the class described having resilient means fornormally retaining the valve in closed position and having saidresilient means located so that it does notcome into contact with thecontents of the container during discharge thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe subsequent detailed description of the invention taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of a container provided with valvemeans comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view on an enlarged scale ofthe container shown in Fig. l, a portion of the structure being brokenaway to show the valve means;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the valvemeans illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the valve means being shown in closedposition;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing thevalve means in open position;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a valve means comprising amodified form of the invention, the valve means being shown in closedposition; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig.6 but showing thevalve means in open position.

Broadly speaking, the valve means of the present invention comprises avalve body having means for securing the same in the opening of'acontainer, a shiftable valve Patented Dec. 14, 1954 member adapted tocooperate with the valve body, and a cap structure detachably secured tothe valve member for manually actuating the latter. For insuringpositive quickacting closure of the valve, resilient means is providedwhich normally retains the valve member in closed position. Also, aswill be seen hereinafter, the cap structure is preferably provided withintegral fluid discharge means whereby the fluid contents of thecontainer may be dispensed through the cooperating valve body and valvemember and thence through the cap structure.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawing, there is.

shown a container 10 provided with a valve means, indicated generally at11, which'comprises one specific embodiment of my invention. The valvemeans 11 includes a closure member 12, preferably of thin metal, whichis formed at its outer edge with an annular downturned rim portion 13adapted to fit over and to be firmly secured to the mouth of thecontainer 10. The inner portion of the closure 12 is dished downwardly,as at 14, and the metal comprising the closure 12 is folded back uponitself, as indicated at 15, and thence extends upwardly and inwardly todefine an annular groove or recess 16 for receiving and retaining avalve body. The flat disk-like center portion, indicated at 17, of theclosure 12 is centrally apertured as at 18.

Depending from the closure 12 and extending downwardly into thecontainer 10 (Fig. 2) is a valve body in the form of a plug 19,preferably of resilient material such as rubber, plastic, or the like,which is enclosed in a housing 20 which may be of thin metal similar tothe closure 12. The upper portion of the plug 19 is formed with anintegral flange 21 and the housing 20 extending around the peripheraledge of the flange 21 is turned downwardly at its upper inner edge andis imbedded in the upper surface of the flange 21, as indicated at 22.For supporting the valve body 19 on the closure member 12, the flange 21and the corresponding portion of the housing 20 are received within theannular groove 16, the entire valve body thereby being rigidly affixedto the closure 12 and retained betweie7n the folded portion 15 and theflat center portion The plug 19comprising the valve body is providedwith a central bore 23 which is tapered outwardly, as at 24, adjacentits lower end, and an elongated shiftable valve member, indicatedgenerally at 26, is movably disposed within this bore with the upperportion thereof being threaded externally, as at 27, and extendingupwardly beyond the valve body and the closure 12. The valve member 26may be formed from a suitable plastic material and is tapered at itslower end, as seen at 28, in order to provide a closure having a tightfit within the tapered bore 24 of the plug 19 when the valve member isin elevated or closed position (Fig. 4). The upwardly extending portionof the valve member 26 is formed with a longitudinal central bore 29terminating at the solid tapered portion 28, and a'plurality of radialapertures or bores 30 extend through the tubular wall of the valvemember 26 into fluid communicationwith the bore 29 immediately adjacentthe solid tapered portion 28.

For actuating the valve member 26, a depressible operating cap 31, whichmay be of relatively rigid plastic or the like, is movably disposedabove the closure 12. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs.4 and 5 the cap 31 is shown as substantially hemisphericalin shape'andis'provided with a bridge portion 32 extending diametrically therein,the threaded upper end 27 of the valve member 26 being threadedlysecured in the bridge 32 for effecting shifting of the valve member 26in response to movement of the cap 31. The lower edge of the cap 31 hasan outwardly and downwardly curved annular lip 33 at its under sideadapted to overlie and coact with the rim 13 on the closure 12, ashereinafter described. An integrally formed bore 34 extends upwardly inthe bridge 32 and outwardly through a rib portion 36 on the exterior ofthe body of the cap 31, the bore 34 being in communication with the bore29 in the valve member 26, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

' For normally retaining the valve member 26 in closed position relativeto the valve body 19, a resilient member comprising in this case a leafspring 37 is interposed between the cap 31 and the closure 12. The leafspring el an -3 37; has a fiat aperture'd central portion 38 abuttingthe bridge 32. and. the valve member 26 extends upwardly therethrough.Slanting downwardly at opposite ends of the central portion 38 areflexible leg portions 39 which a hedunwarlv edi e n hei oute en s ea 1*ee din en e e With-th fli t eeetrel renter 7 o the valve'body housing.20}. i

In ere t ti lhe un retee he h s n mem her 3 n r ur es hean w tenmthe Yebody 19 and the cl$1 re 12 with the lip por n pa d el ti n abo e h mm .3Whetehwe' reta' tapered el'osure member 28 in ti ht-fittingclosedposition w i th l e ody/. (F s ster t enl e valve means forreleasingjthe fluidcqntents of the c tame e r 1' ma b p sed W d f as theaction of the leaf spring 3,1 until l1 33, ot e r engages. he. 1 f thelheu 1 lht iemanner the valve member 26 attached to I cap 3.1 is moveddownwardly and a slight clearance; is created between the tapered W the.tapered aperture 2.4 in the valve bod p mi the fl d under es re ieclearance spa e 42,,the' lateral bores. 30 2 nd. e ce thro h. h e 34 i qmm di ely up n net. are f' down ar pr s th t t e ri r e e r 1, w h uttle 't cause the valve member 26 to be; returned to its clo p i i gn a ri and P. re a t er: The. pressure Within the container, exertedaga stthe lower end of the valve member 26 also tendstg I J In Figs. 6 and: 7I have illustrated a modified of th tio h; d fie Primar ly f m the Prevous y described form. in h he sep ra e p in eleme t 3T omitted andthe'capstructure is'tormed from adistort; able orflexible material whichis adapted to effect gesilient positive closure of the valve means,

ln' this embodiment of the invention, the closure, indicated at 43, issimilar to the closurej'il z: in the p're'vi ous form ofthe inventionand comprises an'annular depending rim 4-4- adapted to f t over the rimof the container mouth and a'- dished center portion with the thin sheetmaterial comprising the) closure beingiolded outwardly, as at 45, andthence extending upwardly and inwardly to define an annular groove46sand a fiatapera tured central portion 47. 'The peripheral edge of theaperture defined by the folded portion is turned upwardly to a slightextent, as at 48, to engage and retain a flange portion 49 or aresilientrubber or plastic plug 51 comprising the valve body and similar to theplug 19 in Figs. 4 and'S.

a central bore having a straight portion 52- and a tapered lower portion53 in which is shiftably disposed anelongated valve member 54 having thesame general con'-, struction as the valve member 26 in Figs; 4 and 5.

A depressible cap 56' formed from rubber or a substantially flexible andresilient. plastic material, such as V'inylite, is.disposed abovetheclosure 4-3, andjthc upper end of the valve member 54 is detachabliysecured within a cooperating bore in the cap. 561 by-meansiof a retainerring. 57 which. is. received in complementary annular grooved portionsin thevalve member 5.4 and. the: cap 56'. The cap 56 is. also provided.with. an integral: outwardly extending bore 58.- comprising a. fluiddischarge passage.- way in communication with the central. boreofithevalve member 54. A relatively thin integral skirt portion 59 dependscentrally from the cap 56: and: extends concentrically around the valvemember 54 with its bottom edge in enea ement with the flat portion 47 ofthe closure 43. In addition, the cap 56 isformed with a shoulder 61(Fig. 6) having an upwardly curved peripheral portion 62 which conformsto and abuts thefcurved surface of the rim 44.

The flexible and. resilient skirt portion 59, which bears against thecenter portion 4.7 of the closure 43,. normally retains the valve member54 in closed position as seen in Pig. 6. However, upon exerting downwardpressure on the flexible cap 56 the shoulder 61 is distorted down:wardly, as seen at 63 in Fig. 7, and the skirt portion 59 is flattenedand spread outwardly, as at 64, whereby to permit the valvev 'member 54to be moved downwardly and thereby create a clearance 66 between thetapered portions of the valve member. 54 and the valve body 51. in thispositionof the. valve means, the fluid contents of the container may bediseharged through the annular clearance 66; and the internal fluidpassageways in the v m mb 54 n z hen e h ou h h i ehe sehe e lose. thealve.

Theplug v 51- is provided with 58 in the cap 56. Upon release ofdownward pressure from the can. ,6, the distorted shou der 1 and. hedis: torted skirt portion 64 automatically return to the positions shownin Fig. 6 and the valve member 54 is thereby restored to closedposition.

Thus, it Will be seen that the manually operable container valve meanscomprising my invention may be constructed from a plurality ofinexpensive and easily fabricated parts utilizing rubber or plasticmaterials. in addition, resilient'means is'provided, e. g; either in theform of a separate spring member or an integral resilent portion or" thecap structure,v for normally retaining the valve in closed position andfor returning the valve from open to closed position with a rapidpositive action. It will also be seen that in, each of the embodimentsof the invention the resilient means, i. e. the spring 37 or the skirt59, is located outside of and is completely separated from the flow pathof the fluid being discharged from the con a ner h ou h. the va ve. mens- Aee in' ly. h re s h re' ihi 117 emen s of the. container exertingan adverse eiiect on the resilient me dur n e ea ed. se f the (th icArrai neenne eh qu valen een tihet eh... d P.-. I -.f .em t e sc e Qt e:ir n ien, d ne .he erre ded: aims I: l im Ceh a' nerf al rea e'fe n rllin h d eha off a fluid". under'pressure', comprising a closuremember an an ot er ri P fiQ Z ad p ed o. b secured in the opening'ofa containerand'a downwardly dishedinner portion providing, a central depressionadapted to extend into. the container, said inner portion beingfoldedradially outwardly, and thence radially inwardly to define aflange-receiving annular groove withinsaid depres-. sion, a valve bodyhaving an elongated lower portion extending below said closure memberand an upper integrahflange portion fitted'within said groove forrigidly supporting theval-ve body on said closure member, a valve membershiftably disposed in said valve; body, cap means movably disposedadjacent said" closure member andoperably attached to said valve memberfor shifting the latter, and resilient-meanse disposedwi-thinsa-iddepression and co'act-ing with saidcap means and with saidclosure member for normally urging said; cap means away from; said valvebody. i

2' Container valvemeans forcontrolling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a closure member having a rim portion adapted to besecured in the opening of a container and a central depressed portionadapted to-"exten'd into. the container, a valve body rigidly sup.-porte'd f'rom the central depressed pont'iongot'said closure member andadaptedto extend. into the interiorof the container,v an elongated valvemember: shifitably disposed said valve: body for movement; betweeniseated. and; unseatedl. ositions; and. adapted to extend outwardly from.the container. beyond; sairli valve body, an: op erating cap connected:to: saidvalave: member at the out-- wardly extending portion thereofforactuating said valve: member, and. radially expansible resilientmeans operativelydisposed within the" central. depressed. portion of:said closure member and. coacting with said cap. for normally urging thelatter away from said valve body; whereby said valve member'is'nor-mallyretained in seated position in said valve body, said central: depressedpor-. tion of said closure; member: being of sufficienti radial extent.to accommodate said resilient! means during; radially outward expansionthereof in; response to pressing movement of said cap toward said valvebody for. shifting said;- valve: member. to; unseatedj. position.

3. Container valve means for controlling the; discharge. of a. timidunder pressure, comprising a; closure. member efrthin metalhaving anouter. rim portion. adapted to be. rigidly secured at the mouth ofacontainer and a downwardl-y dished inner portion. providing: a centraldepres sion adapted to, extend: into the, container, said inner portiombeing v folded radially: outwardly and thence radially inwardly to,define. within; said; depression a lower flange-receiving annular grooveand. an; upper fiat. e a er-ins surt e. aving at ent p turetherethrou-gh; a valve body having at central; er nd n. ntee fl n e; PQZ QI ispos d; th i r eve fer i u p r i aid; live h v .-1 Q QJEQ netnh re. h f a le alve: memb r isn e i in said bore and extending outwardlythrough said aperture beyond said closure member, movable cap meansoperably aflixed to the outwardly extending portion of said valvemember, and radially expansible' resilient means operatively disposedwithin said depression and coacting between said cap means and saidbearing surface for normally urging said cap means away from saidclosure member whereby said valve member is normally retained in closedposition within said valve body, said flat metal bearing surfaceproviding a rigid operating surface for facilitating expansible movementof said resilient means relative thereto, and said depression being ofsuflicient radial extent to accommodate said resilient means duringradially outward expansion thereof in response to pressing movement ofsaid cap means toward said valve body for shifting said valve member toopen posltion.

4. Container valve means for controlling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a closure member having an annular depending rimportion adapted to be rigidly secured to the mouth of a container, avalve body rigidly supported by said closure member, a valve membershiftably disposed in said valve body for movement between open andclosed positions relative to said valve body, a depressible cap operablyattached to said valve member for actuating the latter, and resilientmeans coacting with said cap for normally urging the latter away fromsaid valve body whereby said valve member is normally retained in closedposition, said cap being provided with an annular lip portion disposedin spaced relation from said rim portion when said valve member is inclosed position and adapted to abut said rim portion when said cap isdepressed whereby to limit the extent of movement of said cap.

5. Container valve means for controlling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a valve body, means for rigidly securing said valvebody at the mouth of a container, an elongated valve member shiftablydisposed in said valve body for longitudinal reciprocating movementbetween open and closed positions, a hollow movable cap member having atransversely extending bridge portion, said valve member being securedat one end in said bridge portion for actuating said valve member, andspring means disposed adjacent said valve body and coacting with saidbridge portion for normally urging said cap member away from said valvebody whereby said valve member is normally retained in closed positionrelative to said valve body, said valve member and the bridge portion ofsaid cap member having communicating internal fluid passagewayspermitting the discharge of fluid from the container through saidpassageways without contacting said spring means.

6. Container valve means for controlling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a closure member adapted to be rigidly secured atthe mouth of a container, a valve body rigidly supported by said closuremember, a shiftable valve member movably disposed in said body formovement between open and closed positions, and an operating capoperably connected to said valve member for actuating the latter, saidcap being provided with an integral resilient skirt portion inengagement with said closure member for normally retaining said valvemember in closed position within said valve body, and said skirt portionbeing distortable under pressure exerted on said cap whereby to permitresilient movement of the latter toward said valve body whereby to shiftsaid valve member to open position within said valve body.

7. Container valve means for controlling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a closure member having a central aperture andadapted to be rigidly secured at the mouth of a container, a valve bodyrigidly supported on said closure member, an elongated valve membershiftably disposed in said valve body and extending outwardly therefromthrough said aperture, and

acap member operably attached to the outwardly extending portion of saidvalve member for actuating the latter, said cap member being providedwith a flexible resilient skirt extending annularly around saidoutwardly extending portion of said valve member and engaging saidclosure member, said valvemember being normally retained in closedposition within said valve body by the action of said skirt and saidskirt being distortable under pressure exerted on said cap memberwhereby to permit resilient movement of the latter toward said valvebody for shifting said valve member to open position.

8. Container valve means for controlling the discharge of a fluid underpressure, comprising a closure member having an annular rim portionadapted to be secured to the mouth of a container, a valve bodysupported on said closure member, a valve member shiftably disposed insaid valve body for movement between open and closed positions, and anoperating cap formed from a relatively flexible resilient material andoperably afiixed to said valve member for actuating the latter, said caphaving a shoulder portion in engagement adjacent its outer peripheraledge with said rim portion and a deflectable skirt portion extendinginto engagement with said closure member adjacent said valve member,said valve member being normally retained in closed position within saidvalve body by the action of said skirt portion and said shoulder portionand said skirt portion being distortable under pressure exerted on saidcap for permitting resilient movement of the latter toward said valvebody whereby to shift said valve member to open position.

9. The device of claim 2 further characterized in that said valve memberand said cap are provided with communicating fluid passageways thereinto permit the discharge of fluid when said valve member is in unseatedposition.

10. The device of claim 2 further characterized in that said valve bodyand said valve member are provided with a tapered bore and a coactingtapered portion, respectively, and said valve member is also providedwith a longitudinal internal bore extending from the outwardly extendingend of the valve member and terminating short of the opposite endthereof with a plurality of laterally extending apertures communicatingwith said longitudinal bore adjacent said tapered portion, and said capis provided with an internal fluid passageway communicating with saidlongitudinal bore in said valve member for discharging fluidtherethrough without contacting said resilient means.

11. The device of claim 2 further characterized in that said resilientmeans comprises a leaf spring having flexible bent end portions andoperatively disposed between said closure member and said cap.

12. The device of claim 2 further characterized in that said resilientmeans comprises a spring member having an apertured central portion withsaid valve member extending through the aperture therein and also havingslanting end portions slidably engaging said closure member, theslanting end portions of said spring member being adapted to spreadoutwardly in response to pressure exerted on said cap for permittingsaid valve member to move to unseated position.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 116,433 Glover June 27, 1871 529,221 Wagner Nov. 13,1894 2,210,206 Fisher Aug. 6, 1940 2,376,404 Thorns May 22, 19452,506,449 Greenwood May 2, 1950 2,577,245 Tuttle Dec. 4, 1951 2,582,262Loven Jan. 15, 1952 2,615,597 Tomasek Oct. 28, 1952

